do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

Minimum Documentation Fiche composed by regional working party of CAMPANIA , Italy

01. Picture of building

Depicted item: Main elevation Source: Archivio Vaccaro Date: 1936

1. Identity of building 1.1 current name of building Palazzo delle Poste 1.2 variant or former name The former name was: Palazzo delle Regie Poste e Telegrafi di Napoli 1.3 number & name of street 2, Piazza Matteotti 1.4 town Naples (Na) 1.5 province/state Campania 1.6 zip code 80133 1.7 country Italy 1.8 national grid reference 40°50'37.6"N 14°15'04.8"E

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

1.9 classification/typology Post office 1.10 protection status & date The building is subject to architectural restrictions by Ministerial Decree of June 7, 2001 pursuant to Legislative Decree n.490 of October 29, 1999, article 2, paragraph 1 a).

2 History of building 2.1 original brief/purpose The Central Post building was built in Naples from 1933 to 1936. It was decided to build a Postal office in this area in accordance with the plan of 1884, wich was officially approved in 1913, and then more years passed before the real project could be relized. Indeed, during the first years of the 20th century the Extraordinary Commissioner showed interest for the project and, on the 28th of April 1928, the Ministry of Communications banished the design competition. The winning project was modified many times before the final solution could be reached. During the building’s works significant changes were made to the foundation structures and to the marble front part of the roof. 2.2 dates: commission/completion Commission 1931 - Completion 1936 2.3 architectural and other designers Giuseppe Vaccaro, Luigi Franzi 2.4 others associated with building 2.5 significant alterations with dates The building has not been substantially altered. During the second decade of XXI century, the interiors were adapted to foster the public access. Some linear metal handrails were fixed on the external stairway in order to comply with safety rules. 2.6 current use The building has retained the original destination until now. 2.7 current condition Medium. The general conditions are satisfying, except for the many external marble claddings which have been substituted with a fastening system different from the the original one.

3. Description 3.1 general description The curvilinear facade of the building is covered with Vallestrona and black Diorite marble. It defines the whole side of the Matteotti square. In the interiors, the public services are located on the ground floor: two large rooms are separated by a high entrance hall. The other services and the store-rooms are located on the reverse side and along Monteoliveto street. The other offices are located on the two upper floors. The plan in his whole is organized as “a hammer” and the building is contiguous to the Monteoliveto cloister.

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

3.2 construction The building was built with concrete structures and was perfectly designed and realized, as it is possible to verify by analizing the executive plans. The external marble slabs of the basament are thicker than the higher ones. Each slab is connected to the rear structure and is based on the underlying slab. Some of the works carried out were at the forefront for that time, such as the windows’ metal profiles, the plants, the special ups and the lower doors. The building’s works lasted for three years, they guaranteed high quality standards and respected the delivery term.

3.3 context During the years in wich the Postal building was built, also other public buildings rose in the urban area called Corsea wich was completely restructured. The design of the Central Postal building involved the general urban plan’s revision in this area. The inclinated plan of the ground surface was modified and the external stairways connected new Matteotti square with Monteoliveto street. The buinding stands on a horizontal plan which is taller than the ground level. A large stairway connects the two levels.

4. Evaluation

4.1 technical Several elements, such as the modern fixtures, some kinds of external doors, the glass and concrete walls, the linoleum floors, the Vetro Desegnat Fontanit finishes, are outdated in technological terms. However, the ability to organize the works, which were monitored every day, the compliance with a work’s schedule regarding the execution time and modalities, guaranteed the building’s quality. The distributions’ solutions are still valid today. Many external finishing’s materials retain their aesthetic value. 4.2 social The quality of the building was encouraged by the relevant role of the designers Vaccaro and Franzi during the building’s works. They weren’t the works’ directors, but they followed closely every detail of the building’s construction. The construction company realized some working changes without excessively increasing the prices. This postal building represented the victory of young architects and of the modern expression of the professionals of the Pubblic Administration against the old style. 4.3 cultural & aesthetic From the expressive point of view, the building shows similarities with some of Erich Mendelsohn’s buildings, or with the Radio Building of Hans Poelzig in Berlin, or with Alexanderplatz design by Wassili and Hans Luckhardt, in Berlin (competition of 1929). The project competition indicated precisely the limiting dimensions and the links that had to be realized between the new building and Monteoliveto cloister. Therefore, after various proposals, the final design was controlled, since the beginning, from a committee on the basis of specific criteria. We may disagree with these criterias, but we cannot criticize their consistency and proportionality. 4.4 historical In April 1928, during a cultural confrontation between the Fascist regime and the old top-class administration, the architects Alberto Libera and Gaetano Minnucci inaugurated the L’Esposizione Italiana di Architettura Razionale in Rome. The preliminary competition for the project of the postal

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

building was announced on the 25th of the same month. The final competition was announced on the 10th of August 1931, while the MIAR promoted the Seconda Esposizione di Architettura Razionale at the Galleria d’Arte in Rome. The main facade of the building’s design was changed between the preliminary and the final competition and different solutions were designed in a continuous process of semplification, until the final project was reached, in the view of a new architectural culture. 4.5 general assessment The Central Post building in Naples is one of the most relevant architectures of the first half of the XX century in Europe, full expression of the cultural renewal in a specific historic moment.

5. Documentation

5.1 principal references

DE ANGELI, E., L’Architetto Giuseppe Vaccaro, in “L’Italia letteraria”, 2 August 1931.

VACCARO, G., Edificio per le Poste e Telegrafi di Napoli, Architetti Giuseppe Vaccaro e Gino Franzi, in “L’Architettura”, n.XIV, Milan August 1936.

VITELLOZZI, A., Il nuovo Palazzo Postale, in “Edilizia Moderna 23” October-Decenber 1936.

PONTI, G., Stile di Vaccaro, in “Stile”, n.27, March 1943.

ZEVI, B., Palazzo Postale di Napoli. Venti anni fa. Storia e Critica, in “L’architettura. Cronache e Storia”, n.14, December 1956,

DIREZIONE PROVINCIALE DELLE POSTE E TELEGRAFI DI NAPOLI (edited by), Celebrazione del cinquantenario della costruzione dell’edificio “Posta Centrale di Napoli”, Naples March 1987.

CISLAGHI, P., Il Palazzo delle Poste e Telegrafi di Napoli, 1928-1936. Burocrazia e Promozione. Un “cantiere” nella Napoli di inizio XX secolo, doctoral thesis, Politecnico di Torino – Politecnico di Milano 1993.

DE MASI, P., L’idea “iperbolica” di G. Vaccaro nelle Poste Centrali di Napoli, in “Didattica e Ricerca. Progettazione Urbana”, 2/1994.

GRAVAGNUOLO, B., Dal Liberty alle guerre, in “Napoli. Architettura e urbanistica del Novecento”, Bari 1994, pp.51-52.

DE FUSCO, R., Napoli nel Novecento, Naples 1994, pp. 97-105.

PORETTI, S., La facciata del Palazzo delle Poste di Napoli e la questione dei rivestimenti lapidei nell’architettura italiana degli anni trenta, in ”Rassegna di architettura e urbanistica”, XXVIII y., n. 84-85, Roma, September 1994 – April 1995, pp.28-37.

GIORDANO, P., Il Palazzo delle Poste e dei Telegrafi di Giuseppe Vaccaro e Gino Franzi a Napoli, in “Disegnare idee immagini”, VII y., n. 13, Rome 1996.

CISLAGHI, P., Il concorso per il Palazzo delle Poste e Telegrafi, in “Il rione Carità”, Napoli 1998, pp.56-67.

GRAVAGNUOLO, B., Il Palazzo delle Poste, 1933-936, in “Domus”, n. 693, April 1998.

CISLAGHI, P., Il Palazzo delle Poste di G. Vaccaro. Note a margine di una evoluzione urbana, in CUNDARI, C. (edited by), “Il complessi di Monteoliveto a Napoli”, Naples 1999, pp. 503-510.

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

CARUGHI, U., Il Nuovo Palazzo delle RR. Poste e Telegrafi di Napoli 1936-2002, in VV. AA., “Giuseppe Vaccaro Moderno e Contemporaneo”, Naples 17 April-28 May 2002.

MULAZZANI, M. Architettura per tempi diversi, in MULAZZANI M. (edited by), “Giuseppe Vaccaro”, Milan 2002.

NICOLINI, R., L’originalità della concretezza, in MULAZZANI, M. cit.

VENEZIA, F., L’edificio delle Poste a Napoli, in MULAZZANI, M., cit.

ANSELMI, A., Architettura senza ideologia, in MULAZZANI, M., cit.

IORI, T., Palazzo Postale di Napoli, in DO.CO.MO.MO. ITALIA GIORNALE, n. 13 2003.

CARUGHI, U., La qualità dell’architettura. Il cantiere delle Regie Poste e Telegrafi di Napoli, Milan 2006.

PORETTI, S. Modernismi italiani architettura e costruzione nel Novecento, Rome 2008.

Archives

Archivio Vaccaro

Archivio delle Poste Centrali di Napoli

Archivio Parisio

5.2 visual material attached 01 Main elevation 1936 02 Plans of basement and grownd floor 03. Main elevation at the construction stage 04. Final drawing of foundation slab 05. Entrance Hall. 1936 06. Entrance Hall. 1936 07. Entrance main portal. 1936 08. Night vision of the main façade. 1936 09. Corner of the present-day via Monteoliveto and piazza Matteotti. 1936 10. Public room at Grownd floor.1936 11 “Vaglia” room. 1936 12. Entrance hall. 2006 13. Entrance hall. 2006 14. The “loggia” of 16° century. 2006 15. The “loggia” of 16° century. 2006 16. Corner of the present-day via Monteoliveto and piazza Matteotti. 2006 17. Internal staircase. 2006 18. Public room at Grownd floor. 2006 19. Hall internal balcony. 2006 20. Hall internal balcony. 2006 21. Telegraph room. 2006 22. Telegraph room. 2006 5.3 rapporteur/date Ugo Carughi_Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali e per il Turismo

6. Fiche report examination by ISC/R

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

0.2 Plans of basement and grownd floor. (Archivio Vaccaro)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

03. Main elevation at the construction stage (Archivio vaccaro)

04. Final drawing of foundation slab (Archivio Poste Centrali di Napoli)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

05. 06. Entrance Hall. 1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

07. Entrance main portal. 1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

08. Night vision of the main façade. 1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

09. Corner of the present-day via Monteoliveto and piazza Matteotti. 1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

11 “Vaglia” room. 1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

10. Public room at Grownd floor.1936 (Archivio Vaccaro)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

12.-13. Entrance hall. 2006 (pictures of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

14. The “loggia” of 16° century. 2006 (picture of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

15. The “loggia” of 16° century. 2006 (picture of Claudio Garofalo).

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

16. Corner of the present-day via Monteoliveto and piazza Matteotti. 2006 (picture of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

17. Internal staircase. 2006 (picture of Claudio Garofalo)

18. Public room at Grownd floor. 2006 (picture of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

19.20. Hall internal balcony. 2006 (pictures of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement

21.22. Telegraph room. 2006 (pictures of Claudio Garofalo)

do_co_mo_mo International working party for documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the modern movement